Tubular assembly having indicia displaying means

ABSTRACT

A tubular assembly having an inner shell provided with indicia in the form of English-Metric equivalent units of weights and measures and arranged in circumferentially spaced, longitudinal rows on the outer surface of the shell. A sleeve is mounted about the shell for rotation relative thereto and is provided with a longitudinal row of windows adapted to register with a selected row of indicia carried by the shell. Means are carried by the sleeve for magnifying the image produced by the indicia on the shell and displayed through the windows of the sleeve.

- [22] Filed:

' United States Patent 1 Dalley 1 TUBULAR ASSEMBLY HAVING INDICIA DISPLAYING MEANS [76] Inventor: Erika Daley, 674 Ellicott Street,

Buffalo, N.Y. 14202 July 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.2 165,237

[52] [1.8. CI 40/68, 40/77.8, 40/334 [51] Int. Cl. G09f 11/02 [58] Field of Search 40/334, 77.4, 77.8,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,830,102 11/1931 Felsenthal 40/334 3,548,524 12/1970 2,347,144 4/1944 1,396,607 11/1921 1,683,242 9/1928 Deister ..::::..40/334 FOREIGN PATENTS ORZAPPLICATIONS 332,666 7/1930 Great Britain 40/334 I June 12, 1973 Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-L. R. Oremland Attorney-Conrad Christel and Edwin T. Bean, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A tubular assembly having an inner shell provided with indicia in the form of English-Metric equivalent units of weights and measures and arranged in circumferentially spaced, longitudinal rows on the outer surface of the shell. A sleeve is mounted about the shell for rotation relative thereto and is provided with a longitudinal row of windows adapted to register with a selected row of indicia carried by the shell. Means are carried by the sleeve for magnifying the image producedby the indicia on the shell and displayed through the windows of the sleeve.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to articles of manufacture having indicia thereon and, more particularly, to tubular assemblies having means for displaying indicia in the form of equivalent units of weights and measurements between the English and Metric systems to facilitate the conversion from one system to the other.

It has become increasingly desirable in recent years for the average layman to be able to readily convert between the English and Metric systems of weights and measurements, particularly in view of the popularity of international travel and the ease of audio and visual communication between foreign countries. For example, a knowledge of the English and=Metric equivalents of weights and measures increases the enjoyment of observing foreign originated sporting events, such as the Olympic Games for example. Also, such knowledge is advantageous to the consumer while shopping since many packaged products, particularly food and drugs,

list the ingredient in units of the Metric system. While conversion tables listing such equivalents are well known, they are usually found in textbooks or publications of a scientific nature and are not conveniently available in a handy form to the average layman.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, as hereinafter described, provides a simple, practical and inexpensive construction incorporating means for displaying indicia in the form of equivalent units of weights and measurements between the English and Metric systems, and which can be incorporated in a pencil, pen, flashlight, or any other tubular article of manufacture for convenient reference.

Generally speaking, the construction of the present invention comprises an inner tube having circumferentially spaced, longitudinal rows of indicia in the form of English-Metric conversion units imprinted on the outer surface thereof and a sleeve surrounding the inner tube for relative rotation thereto. A longitudinal row of windows is provided on the sleeve and is adapted to register with a selected row of indicia carried by the inner tube. Magnifying means, formed integral with an outer casing or provided on a rotatable slide, is mounted on the sleeve for magnifying the indicia carried by the inner tube.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a mechanical pencil incorporating the indicia displaying means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken about on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating one set of indicia bearing an English unit of measurement and the Metric equivalent thereof as imprinted on the inner tube of the construction of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the mag- I FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken about on line 66 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to the illustrative embodiment depicted in the drawings, there is shown in FIG.

1 a marking device in the forni of amechanical pencil, generally designated 10, having a tubular housing, generally designated 12, for containing a central core member 14 (FIG. 2) in the form ofa cartridge or magazine of lead. A tapered tip 16, having an annular shoulder 18, is provided on one end of core member 14 and has an axial opening through which the lead (not shown) can be projected or retracted in a known manner by imparting a rotational movement to tip 16. The other end of core member 14 is provided with a rotatable end cap or knob 20 having an annular shoulder 22. Housing 12 is disposed between tip 16 and knob 20 with the end portions of housing 12 engaging against shoulders 18 and 22. While the principles of this invention are shown adapted for use in a mechanical pencil in the illustrative embodiment, it should be understood that the present invention can be incorporated in various devices, such as fountain pens, crayons, marking devices, flashlights or any article of manufacture having at least a pair of inner and outer tubular elements rotatable relative to each other.

In accordance with one form of the present invention, housing 12 includes an inner tubular member or shell 24 enclosed about core 14, an intermediate tubular member or sleeve 26 surrounding shell 24 and concentric therewith, and an outer tubular member or casing 28 surrounding sleeve 26. Inner tube 24 preferably is cylindrical in shape and is formed of a suitable, opaque plastic material having indicia imprinted on the outer surface thereof. Such indicia is in the form of conversion tables indicating the approximate equivalents of units of weights and measures between the English system and the Metric system, such as shown at 30 in FIG. 3. Also, the formulas for converting Fahrenheit temperatures into Centigrade temperatures and vice versa can be imprinted on the outer surface of shell 24. The indicia provided on the outer surface of shell 24 is arranged in four circumferentially spaced, longitudinal rows, each row extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of shell 24 and containing four sets of indicia spaced longitudinally along shell 24. For example, starting with one longitudinal row and working circumferentially therefrom to the next longitudinal row, an exemplary listing of English-Metric equivalents and formulas appear as follows;

cal form and adhesively secured to shell 24.

Intermediate tube or sleeve 26 preferably is cylindrical in shape and formed of a suitable, opaque plastic material. Sleeve 26 is concentrically mounted about shell 24 for relative rotation thereto and has a length substantially equal to the latter. At least one row of elongated, indicia viewing openings or wvindpws 32 are provided in sleeve 26 for displaying a selected row of indicia when the latter are in registry with windows 32, the remainder of sleeve 26 masking the other longitudinal rows of indicia. Advertisements, or other suitable information, can be imprinted on the solid portion of sleeve 26, as desired. While four elongated windows 32 are utilized in the present invention, it should be realized that the principles of this invention also contemplate the use of only one elongated window extending substantially the length of sleeve 26 for uncovering a longitudinal row of indicia. Also, a second row of windows, spaced approximately 180 from the row of windows 32, can be formed in sleeve 26, if desired. These windows can vary in lengths and widths as dictated by the particular indicia carried by shell 24.

Sleeve 26 can be rotated relative to shell 24 to bring the selected row of indicia into view through window openings 32. Alternatively, sleeve 26 can be held stationary while shell 24 is rotated by means of knob 20, which has an axial extension 34 threadably secured to shell 24. Thus, either shell 24 or sleeve 26 can be rotated relative to the outer to align the indicia on shell 24 with windows 32.

An important feature of the present invention is the provision of means for magnifying the visual image created by the indicia on shell 24. Such means comprise outer tube or casing 28 preferably formed of a durable, transparent plastic material and has a major portion of generally circular configuration in cross section (FIG. 2) and a bulbous portion 36 formed integral therewith to effect magnification of the indicia appearing on shell 24. A plurality of projections 38, corresponding in number to windows 32, extend radially from portion 36 into the openings defined by windows 32 to form a mechanical lock therewith. Casing 28 can be formed integral with sleeve 26 by a simple molding operation. Bulbous portion 36 is provided with side walls 40 and 42 which can be easily gripped by the users fingers to rotate casing 28 and thereby sleeve 26 relative to shell 24 or to hold casing 28 while rotating shell 24 relative thereto by means of knob 20. The indicia illustrated in FIG. 3 is magnified in at least one direction by bulbous portion 36 to provide a visual image having an increase in height as shown in FIG. 4, thereby enabling the user to easily read the selected information without unduly straining his eyes.

FIGS. and 6 illustrate another form of magnifying means of the present invention comprising a slide 46 movable relative to sleeve 26 and having a length slightly longer than the length ofa window 32. Slide 46 is formed of a suitable plastic material and has a semicircular portion 48 (FIG. 6) in cross section which merges at its opposite ends into a pair of angularly related arms 50 extending outwardly away from sleeve 26 in a diverging relation. The inner ends of arms 50 have arcuate surfaces 52 forming arcuate continuations of the inner surface of portion 48 and snugly embrace sleeve 26 in such a manner as to maintain slide 46 in the desired position along sleeve 26 with a friction fit, but which can be rotatably and longitudinally moved relative thereto by a slight manually applied force. Arms 50 progressively diminish in cross section from their inner ends to the outer ends thereof and terminate in an endless circular ring 54 having an inner annular groove 56 adapted to receive the peripheral edge portions of a removable converging lens 58 for magnifying the image of the indicia carried by sleeve 26. While arms 50 are sufficiently strong to support ring 54, they can be spread apart slightly to enable lens 58 to be removed and replaced, if desired. It should be understood that any suitable supporting means can be used in lieu of arms 50 for connecting lens 58 to slide 46.

The present invention thus provides a tubular construction for displaying selected indicia in the form of English-Metric equivalents of weights and measurements which can be incorporated in a pen, pencil, flashlight or any tubular assembly. By the provision of magnifying means constituting a part of the outer casing of the tubular device or carried by a rotatable slide mounted on the device, the information carried thereby can be easily read without unduly straining the users eyes.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention having been disclosed in detail, it should be understood that this has been done by way of illustration only.

I claim:

1. A tubular assembly comprising:

an inner tubular member having indicia imprinted on the outer surface thereof and arranged in circumferentially spaced rows extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said member, said indicia being in the form of equivalent units of weights and measures expressed in the English and Metric systems, a sleeve mounted about said inner tubular member for rotation relative thereto, said sleeve having at least one window adapted to expose a selected one of said rows of indicia for displaying the latter upon relative rotation between said inner tubular member and said sleeve,

means carried by said sleeve for magnifying the image displayed by said exposed row of indicia, said magnifying means comprising an outer casing surrounding said sleeve and having a bulbous portion formed of a transparent material in radial alignment with said window, and means locking said casing to said sleeve for movement therewith.

2. A tubular assembly according to claim 1 wherein each of said rows of indicia comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced sets of markings, each set bearing information pertaining to a specific equivalent unit expressed in the English and Metric systems, said sleeve being provided with at least one row of windows adapted to register with a selected row of indicia upon relative rotation between said inner tubular and said sleeve, each of said windows exposing one set of said specific equivalent units.

3. A tubular assembly according to claim 2 wherein said bulbous portion is in radial alignment with said one row of windows, a plurality of spaced projections formed integral with said casing and projecting radially inwardly into said windows, respectively, to form a mechanical interlock with said sleeve.

4. A tubular assembly according to claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises at least one projection formed integral with said casing and projecting radially inwardly into said window to form a mechanical interlock with said sleeve.

5. A tubular assembly according to claim 1 wherein said bulbous portion is wider than said window and has side portions projecting beyond the longitudinal sides of said window. 

1. A tubular assembly comprising: an inner tubular member having indicia imprinted on the outer surface thereof and arranged in circumferentially spaced rows extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said member, said indicia being in the form of equivalent units of weights and measures expressed in the English and Metric systems, a sleeve mounted about said inner tubular member for rotation relative thereto, said sleeve having at least one window adapted to expose a selected one of said rows of indicia for displaying the latter upon relative rotation between said inner tubular member and said sleeve, means carried by said sleeve for magnifying the image displayed by said exposed row of indicia, said magnifying means comprising an outer casing surrounding said sleeve and having a bulbous portion formed of a transparent material in radial alignment with said window, and means locking said casing to said sleeve for movement therewith.
 2. A tubular assembly according to claim 1 wherein each of said rows of indicia comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced sets of markings, each set bearing information pertaining to a specific equivalent unit expressed in the English and Metric systems, said sleeve being provided with at least one row of windows adapted to register with a selected row of indicia upon relative rotation between said inner tubular and said sleeve, each of said windows exposing one set of said specific equivalent units.
 3. A tubular assembly according to claim 2 wherein said bulbous portion is in radial alignment with said one row of windows, a plurality of spaced projections formed integral with said casing and projecting radially inwardly into said windows, respectively, to form a mechanical interlock with said sleeve.
 4. A tubular assembly according to claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises at least one projection formed integral with said casing and projecting radially inwardly into said window to form a mechanical interlock with said sleeve.
 5. A tubular assembly according to claim 1 wherein said bulbous portion is wider than said window and has side portions projecting beyond the longitudinal sides of said window. 